Using a drone to spy on neighbors, drop drugs into prisons or harass cows could lead to criminal charges under a new bill Nebraska lawmakers will consider later this year.

The measure would impose new safety and privacy rules on the remote-control flying machines that are now used for dozens of jobs throughout the state.

Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue said she introduced the bill to protect the public without overregulating drones, the kind of technology she said is critical to the state’s economic growth. The Federal Aviation Administration already oversees drones, but Blood said the agency hasn’t addressed all of the public safety concerns.

“We want to make sure we have laws that tell people what our expectations are when they use technology,” she said.

If the measure passes, Nebraska would join 40 other states with laws regulating drones, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The laws often address how law enforcement agencies and the general public can use the devices.

The Nebraska bill would create a variety of new restrictions for drone users. Pilots who use drones to peep inside homes without permission could face a misdemeanor charge, and so could sex offenders who use drones to violate a protection order. Red More